Hoax circulates that ‘not a single vegetarian has contracted COVID-19 according to the WHO’

Multiple Facebook and Twitter posts shared hundreds of times claim the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that no vegetarian has contracted the novel coronavirus. The claim is false; the WHO denied issuing the report; as of May 2020, health experts have said there is no scientific evidence to suggest that a vegetarian diet prevents infection from COVID-19.

The claim was made in a text graphic published on Facebook here on March 14, 2020.

The Hindi text translates to English as: “Not a single vegetarian has contracted coronavirus in the entire world: WHO Report. Amazing Sanatana Dharma. Hail Hindutva.”

Below is a screenshot of the misleading Facebook post:

Screenshot of the misleading Facebook post

The terms “Sanatana Dharma” and “Hindutva” both refer to aspects of Hinduism, which promotes a vegetarian diet.